1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a protective ear covering and more particularly to a protective ear covering device and assembly that is worn by attachment to a retaining strap on a pair of eye goggles.
2. Description of Related Art
Traditionally, a winter sports participant, such as a snowmobiler or skier, experiences rapid movement in a sub-zero environment requiring protection of both the eyes and the ears. A wide variety of eye protective wear and ear coverings are currently available for the winter sport enthusiast. Both devices have been technically improved to provide for example, protection from ultraviolet rays, sub-zero temperatures and the like. New materials provide resistance from breakage and greater thermal insulation, with less bulk and weight. However, despite such improvements, this market is still dominated by classical systems and styles of protection.
In choice of ear protection, the winter sports participant is limited to a hat, earmuffs or a headband. The traditional head band is a width of stretchable cloth, which encircles the head, sufficient to cover the ears of the wearer. It is separate from protective eye wear, such as ski goggles which have for example, a sealed lense element and an elastic retaining strap for attaching the end portions of the goggles and are adapted to fit around the wearer's head in order to retain the goggles in place. This arrangement of separate eye goggles/head gear present a myriad of problems. First, each device of the separate head band/eye apparel arrangement competes for position on the head of the wearer. Thus, adjusting the goggles displaces the head band and vice versa. Second, the ear protector is essentially of constant width around the head, interfering with the coiffe or hairdo of the wearer yielding "ski hair", "hat head" or "head band hair." The alternative to the head band is a hat, ear muffs or simply having cold ears.
By combining the retention strap of the goggles and the ear covering, some of the inherent problems discussed above have been eliminated, however, none to date have been totally satisfactory. Specifically, though several inventions have tried to overcome these limitations, they maintain some of the basic limitations which have prevented more effective means of providing warmth, comfort and convenience to the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,037 to Schulze discloses a combined goggles and headband assembly comprising a goggles unit having a retaining strap for encircling the head of a wearer, and a cover for the ears of the wearer formed from a single piece of cloth of a length and width to encircle the retaining strap from opposed end edges of the goggles. A blank piece of cloth sized to completely encircle the retaining strap from opposed side edges of the goggles, and to cover the wearer's ears at the same time, employs cooperative releasable fastening means secured to both the longitudinal dimension of strips as well as the latitudinal dimensions of the cloth to provide for releasable securement of the cloth to the retaining strap.
This device suffers from a myriad of draw backs. First the ear piece is not retained around the ears of the wearer. Thus, as the skier or snowmobiler gains speed the wind picks up the material proximate the ears and blows it outward giving a "Snoopy" effect and exposing the ears of the wearer. Further, the means for attaching the cloth to the retaining strap allows no adjustment for cinching the cloth to the strap. The ear covering is able to twist with respect to the strap becoming uncomfortable to the wearer and again exposing the wearer's ears.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,589 to Lacore et al. describes a pair of sporting goggles with a headband which also serves as a type of "earmuff"g. This device incorporates the covering of the ears into the band itself, not allowing for the removal of such covering without removing the entire goggles assemblage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,903 to Schultz et al. discloses a headband with adjustable speakers. This invention provides the means to listen to a remote transmission while permitting the adjustment of the speakers by means of the headband. However, this device is not intended to simply provide coverage for the ears, but rather it provides the means to satisfactorily place the speakers adjacent to the wearer's ears. This device is costly due to the speakers, and fails to address the need for simple, suitable covering for the ears.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,713, 078 to De Angelis describes a headband and goggles device that is intended to protect the ears of the wearer from the entry of water during participation in various water sports and activities. This device, however, is made of a waterproof material and must be water tight on the head, restricting hearing and ventilation. The design of this invention is specific to the need of those with an aversion to water entering the ear canal, and does not provide insulation from the cold or other similar elements.
Thus, it would be advantageous to have a device or appliance that covers and protects the ears, even under extreme conditions of advanced down hill skiing or snowmobiling, is able to be removed during weather not requiring ear protection or reasons of fashion, for example, a change of color of skiing apparel and can be effectively attached to any width of a goggle retaining strap.